


67 "I did the dishes."

by allousive



Series: One Hundred Ways To Say 'I Love You' [12]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Healer Teddy, Illnesses, James is also stubborn, Kissing, M/M, Teddy is stubborn, not bad just like a flu, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-27 14:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20762123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allousive/pseuds/allousive
Summary: Teddy isn't sick, he swears.





	67 "I did the dishes."

* * *

67 "I did the dishes"

The thing about Teddy was that he hardly ever got sick. Something to do with his genetics meant that he was practically immune to everything anyway and being a healer meant he knew how to cure himself of any ailments pretty quickly. So, when he did get sick, it was often something pretty serious, but due to his natural tendencies to brush things off, he always tried to pretend it wasn’t as bad as it was.

“Ted, I’m not being funny but, you look like death.” Was the first thing James said as he stepped out of the fireplace into Teddy’s living room.

The older of the two was stretched out on his sofa with his eyes shut, he’d been feeling rough all week and once he’d gotten home from work that evening he hadn’t wasted any time in getting changed and had just sat on the sofa and fallen asleep. He must’ve slept longer than he’d intended to because the next thing he knew he was being woken up by James stepping through the floo, just like he’d done most nights since they’d started seeing each other.

“You’re right, you’re not being funny, that was the shittest joke I’ve heard all week. I’m fine, just tired, busy day.” Teddy said from his position, punctuating his retort with a cough and a wheeze.

His whole body hurt and every time he spoke it made his chest feel like someone had taken fiendfyre to his insides.

“It wasn’t a joke, you really do look terrible. Have you been at work?” James asked, stepping toward the sofa to get a closer look at Teddy.

“Yeah, all week.” Teddy replied.

James sighed and rolled his eyes, he wasn’t surprised, Teddy could’ve lost all his limbs and he’d still try and make his way into work the next day.

“Well, you’re not going in tomorrow. I’m scared if you stand up you might keel over and die.”

“Merlin forbid I die, who’d put up with you then!” Teased Teddy.

“My point exactly!” James replied, smiling as he perched on the arm of the sofa.

“Don’t come too close.” He warned, raising his hand to stop James coming any closer.

“Why’s that Ted? Is it because you’re sick!”

“No, I just might’ve picked something up at work, I haven’t changed yet so who knows what’s on these robes.”

“Probably the same germs that are infesting your immune system as we speak.”

“I’m not sick James, I’m just feeling a bit run down that’s all, it’s nothing major.”

“Yeah, and I like women!”

Teddy looked up at him, his eyebrows furrowed in a confused expression, “What?”

“Oh, I thought we were telling lies just then.” James smirked.

Teddy looked away, rolling his eyes pointedly, knowing full well James could see.

“Funny.” He deadpanned.

Silence lapsed over the room for a minute, Teddy had let his head fall back against the arm of the sofa, just an inch from resting against James’ thigh, and shut his eyes. James had a hand in Teddy’s hair, massaging his scalp with the pads of his fingers.

“You should go and get changed, maybe have a shower or something.” James said, most of the teasing tones had left his voice and been replaced by something much more tender.

“Are you saying I stink?” Teddy replied, but even he didn’t sound as jokey as he had before, his voice thick with congestion.

“Yeah, I am,” James removed his hand from Teddy’s hair and stood up, standing in front of the sofa and reaching out for both of Teddy’s hands, “come on, up you get.”

Reluctantly, Teddy let himself be pulled up off the sofa. The change in his centre of gravity causing him to fall into a coughing fit. James just looked at him with a raised eyebrow, silently saying ‘I told you so.’

James ushered him upstairs, leading him around like the flat belonged to him and not Teddy. Although the amount of the time he’d spent there in the last few months it might as well have just been theirs to share. He switched the shower on for Teddy and helped him unbutton his robes, the elder of the two finally admitting that maybe he was sick, and just letting James help him.

Once he was in the shower and James felt sure he wasn’t going to slip and kill himself, he left the bathroom and set out some comfortable clothes for Teddy to put on. Then he gathered up the robes he’d been wearing throughout the day and took them downstairs to be washed. While Teddy showered, he worked around the kitchen, putting the kettle on to boil so as to make Teddy a hot drink, and washing the dishes that had been left in the sink from the night before and that morning when Teddy hadn’t had time to do them. Normally he’d be singing or whistling while he did the chores, a habit picked up from the Weasley side of his family to make the mundane more exciting, but he didn’t want to make any noise so that he could listen out for Teddy and make sure there were no loud thumps to indicate him falling.

He’d begun chopping vegetables for a soup when he heard the shower turn off, so James charmed the knife to continue chopping while he made a soothing tea for Teddy drink, a recipe he’d learnt from Grandma Weasley. The mug was placed on the table just as Teddy entered the kitchen, hair still wet as he hadn’t been bothered to dry it.

“Drink that.” James said, pointing to the steaming mug.

“What is it?” Teddy asked, sitting down and pulling the drink toward him.

“Poison. Now drink it.” He replied, placing a pot on the stove and filling it with water.

Teddy huffed but didn’t question or complain any further, just picked up the mug and began to drink it. It was quiet in the kitchen as Teddy drank and James continued making the soup, humming softly now that he wasn’t listening out for any signs of Teddy getting hurt.

“That’s Molly’s recipe, isn’t it?” Teddy said, standing up with his now empty mug and walking around the table toward James.

“Thought you might recognise it.” James said, turning around and smiling at him.

Teddy went to go put the mug in the sink, expecting to see the dishes he’d left piled up, when he didn’t, he looked at James, then back at the sink with a confused expression.

“_I did the dishes_.” James said with a nonchalant shrug.

Teddy smiled, “Thank you. You didn’t have to.”

James shrugged again, “I know. I just wanted to take care of you.”

He smiled bashfully, blushing at his own words. Teddy couldn’t stop himself from grinning. He knew they cared deeply about each other, but neither of them had ever been very tender in the way they showed it. Often it was just snarky jibes and sarcastic remarks that showed their affection toward one another, so small actions like that really meant a lot.

“Shut up.” James said to Teddy, despite the older not having said anything, he turned away and back to the pot of soup, beginning to stir it even though he didn’t need to.

Teddy just laughed, putting an arm around James’ waist and pulling him in for a side hug.

“You’re cute.” He said, playfully pinching James’ hip.

“Shut up Teddy.”

Teddy laughed again, kissing the top of James’ head, then moving back toward the sink and washing up his mug. James had moved away from the stove, letting the soup simmer on the heat, and had turned around so he was leaning against the counter, looking at Teddy.

“How are you feeling now?” He asked.

“Bit better, I did need that shower.” Admitted Teddy.

“You’re welcome.” James said with a smug grin.

Teddy rolled his eyes, moving toward James and pulling him away from the counter to wrap him up in a hug, kissing his forehead gently.

James scrunched up his nose and looked up at Teddy, moving his head to kiss him properly. Just as their lips were about to meet Teddy turned and shook his head, causing James to pull back with a hurt expression. Teddy’s heart clenched at the look on James’ face.

“I don’t want to make you sick.” He explained.

“I don’t care.” James replied immediately.

“I do.”

“Well it’s me that’ll be getting sick, and I don’t care, so can I please have a kiss?” He widened his eyes and stuck out his bottom lip, batting his eyelashes as he looked up at Teddy.

“You’re insufferable.” Teddy said with a light laugh.

“Kiss?” James asked again.

“You’ll get sick Jamie.”

  
  
“Well, you’re a healer Teddy, so when I do get sick, you can sort me out.”

“Yeah, I’ll sort you out alright.” Teddy teased, causing James to pull back with a laugh.

“Gross.”

Teddy looked down at James, still bundled up in his arms and finally gave in, leaning down to seal his lips in a kiss, the smile on James’ face making it harder to do so.

* * *


End file.
